


The Tender Wolf

by lillibattenberg



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Canon Dialogue, Expanded Whiterun mod, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Literally everyone can see it, Marriage Proposal, Oblivious Vilkas is oblivious, but they all love him anyway, no beta we die like bandits
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:34:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26543776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lillibattenberg/pseuds/lillibattenberg
Summary: When Estella, the Harbinger of the Companions,  wants to take a walk with Vilkas, her right-hand man and master-at-arms, he gets a little nervous. However, he quickly finds out that he doesn't need to worry... and feels a little stupid in the process.
Relationships: Female Dovahkiin | Dragonborn/Vilkas
Comments: 6
Kudos: 26





	The Tender Wolf

**Author's Note:**

> First fic on here, concrit allowed but please go easy!

"Vil? I, uh - I need to talk to you. In private."

Vilkas gulped. Estella was Harbinger for a good reason. Considering she was still the newest member even after two years, a _very_ good reason. He crouched down and whispered to Secunda, one of the wolf twins he and Farkas had brought back in the early days. "If I don't come back in three hours or less, find Kassi and bark at him until he avenges me, okay? Don't let her get away with it."

Estella laughed. "Hush, you. You're scaring me. Now come. Walk with me."

Bad sign. Baaaaad siiiiign. Vilkas' heart beat faster, as if he was facing a dragon or one of those gods-damned Silver Hand. Nevertheless, he walked beside Estella away from Jorrvaskr and towards the city gates.

Estella led him out of Whiterun and into a field of wildflowers. "Huh. Pretty. A bit too pretty for a couple of grumpy Companions, but appropriate enough for the occasion. Have a seat."

Vilkas looked around, a tad confused. Seeing nothing in the way of actual seating, he plopped down inelegantly where he stood, squashing a patch of mountain flowers in the process. Estella lowered herself to the ground next to him. It was only then Vilkas realised that she wasn't actually wearing any armour. "You're in real clothes." He smiled. "They look nice on you."

Estella smiled back. "Thank you."

Vilkas had never realised before how beautiful Estella's smile was. It wasn't like he had never seen her smile - if anything, she seemed to be the happiest of any of the Circle's members. But it had always been when he was distracted by a good fight (generally one he'd won), or after they'd rid Mount Anthor of that dragon, or... actually, never mind. He'd had no excuse. Not when Estella had a big smile on her face every time she tucked into a hunk of meat and a gallon of strong ale, laughing at one of Farkas' jokes and insisting that Vilkas come sit by her since his brother was always flanked by the women in the Circle... hang on a gods-damned minute. Was that deliberate?

_Sneaky_ , Vilkas thought, a smirk creeping over his face. _And impressive._

Impressive. Now that was a word that described Estella. Vilkas had certainly been impressed by her form the first time he'd met her, though he'd felt like she'd spent her youth slaughtering training dummies rather than any actual people. And besides, he'd been telling Kodlak the truth. He'd never heard of this woman, and the war had made it impossible to trust that new members wouldn't try to recruit their fellow Companions into one side or the other.

But then came that encounter with the Silver Hand. Her first trial, taken with his dear Kassi beside her. She'd passed the test - judging by his brother's confidence, with flying colours. Kassi may have been a tad lacking in book-smarts, but he knew a coward when he saw one. Estella was, therefore, obviously no coward. And truth be told, Vilkas quickly realised he had underestimated her - she navigated giant camps, burial crypts and honest-to-Talos _dragons_ with the same ease and flair.

Then Kodlak had died, and she hadn't been there. Vilkas had - gods damn him - snapped at her, asked her where she was, and she'd calmly told him the simple truth. And then he'd broken down, and wept for his loss. Bloody milk drinker.

And yet... she'd gone with him. The bloody milk drinker and the Dragonborn, together, had wiped out the Silver Hand. "Why?"

"Why what?"

Of course. She couldn't read his thoughts. "Why did you go with me? After Kodlak?"

"I wanted revenge for my father, and you were offering it."

"Your..."

"Not my real one, of course. My birth father's long dead. But Kodlak... Kodlak took me in. Showed me love, in a way, and the power of a good sword arm." A tear dripped down her cheek. "And then he was gone, because of some self-righteous bunch of bandits who hated anyone of the beastblood. By the Nine, I wanted so badly to get rid of them... before they got rid of anyone else."

Vilkas shuddered. "They knew our secret."

"Exactly. What if they targeted Aela, my Shield-Sister who granted me the beastblood? Or Farkas, my first sworn Shield-Brother? Or you? The one I love?"

Vilkas blinked. "Wait, I'm what now?"

Estella giggled nervously. "M-my apologies. That came out a little early. But, well, I'm wearing this for a reason." She looked down and tutted. "Would help if I untucked it, huh?" She pulled out the necklace and Vilkas gasped at the hint of blue sparkle.

Vilkas' heart raced again, an emotion he now recognised as excitement. Modern Nords had the same traditions as their siblings in Cyrodiil. There wasn't any mistaking what that amulet meant. "Is that... is that an amulet of Mara? You're not married?" He regained his composure and laughed a little. "Surprising."

Estella laughed as well. "That sounded like pleasant surprise. Interested in me, are you?"

"I am." Vilkas turned towards Estella with a smile of relief on his face and a spark of love in his eyes. "I'd be glad to stand by your side until the Divines take us. I-if you'll have me."

Estella sighed in relief. "I will. Together, then."

"Together." Vilkas took Estella's hand. "Does this mean I get to kiss you?"

Estella laughed and pulled Vilkas in. "I thought you'd never ask."

Vilkas wrapped his arms around Estella's warm body. Closing his eyes as their lips met, he let out a pathetic little whine like a hungry whelp. He felt Estella melt at the sound, holding him closer and walking her fingers up his armour.

They naturally parted after a few seconds. Vilkas leaned back, blinked and shook his head. "I'm... I'm still here. Was that real?"

"That was real," Estella responded with a happy sigh. "And we should go tell the others."

"Come on then." Vilkas rose to his feet and pulled Estella up.

"Better make sure no-one else thinks I'm proposing," Estella said, slipping the necklace into her bag. "That should tell them everything they need to know, but just in case..." She took Vilkas' hand.

"Coward," Vilkas teased, unlacing his fingers from Estella's and putting an arm around her waist instead. As they reached Jorrvaskr, Masser jumped up at Vilkas, wagging his tail. Vilkas gave the wolf a scratch under the chin and sent him off to Aela. "Heh. The Harbinger's harbinger."

It wasn't a minute later that Vilkas and Estella walked into the training yard to raucous cheers, whistles and congratulations from their companions. "Congratulations, my friend," Inigo said, smugly holding his paw out. Njada rolled her eyes and dumped a few septims into his open "palm".

"At last! I thought you two were doomed to pine away for eternity at the rate you were going!" Farkas laughed, running over and sweeping his brother into a hug.

Vilkas put his brother down. "Wait, you knew about that?"

"Sweet Talos, Vil. I may not be the sharpest sword on the weapon rack, but even I'm not that stupid."

"Am I honestly that dense?"

"As a hammer from Warmaiden's," Aela said matter-of-factly. "Did you not realize that every time she asked you for work, she was making an excuse to see you?"

"Wait, really?"

Estella leaned in and flicked Vilkas' nose. "Every. Single. Time."

"Hey!" Vilkas laughed and gave Estella another quick kiss.

Aela grinned. "Besides," she continued, "I'm still a werewolf, remember? You two absolutely reek of... whatever it is... every time you're within shouting distance."

"I... wow." Vilkas rubbed his neck and looked sheepishly at Estella. "I'm sorry, my love. Can you forgive me?"

"Course I can, you big dumb mutt," Estella laughed, ruffling her future husband's hair affectionately. "I proposed, didn't I?"

"I... I suppose you did." Vilkas blinked again. "Wait, that was real?"

"As real as this," Farkas said, swatting his brother over the head. "Get a grip, Vil! She loves you! She loves you, and you have a wedding to plan!"

"Yes. We do." Estella put on her business face. "Right. To start with, much as I wouldn't mind marrying you in our armour, it's going to be Oblivion to get off afterwards. So, first stop: Radiant Raiment. Then Castle Dour, to invite people, then Riften, to actually get the wedding arranged. After that, we make a _very_ short stop at each of the other seven holds with at least five empty carriages and make it back to Riften by tomorrow. Maramal doesn't hang around."

Ria rubbed her neck. "I'm exhausted just listening to that," she admitted.

Vilkas just grinned. "Sounds like a plan."

Estella turned to her assembled Companions. "Now, I know most of you couldn't arrange two flowers in a tankard, but who's with me?"

The raucous cheers from Vilkas' favourite drunken rabble told him everything he needed to know. "All right then, let's see how many of these whelps we can fit in a carriage."


End file.
